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10 of the most popular shows to grace our screens - SciFiNow

10 of the most popular shows to grace our screens

Discover the 10 most popular TV series of all time

We are truly spoilt for choice when it comes to television viewing nowadays given the multitude of top quality shows available to indulge in.  From comedy to thriller and from period drama to medical television shows, there is something for even the most discerning of viewers.

With that in mind, I have chosen ten of the most popular television shows ever to grace our screens. Read on to see if your favourite is in there!

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1.    Friends

Friends is a hugely popular sitcom which aired originally on NBC from September 1994 to May 2004. On a weekly basis, we tuned into follow the highs and lows of life with Ross, Rachel, Joey, Chandler, Phoebe and Monica. While the clothes and hairstyles might be dated by today’s standards, the jokes still make us erupt into laughter.

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2.    Sex and the City

Produced by HBO, Sex and the City was a romantic sitcom featuring the enduring friendship between four women as they experience life and love in New York. Whether you identified with free spirit Carrie, wild Samantha, quirky Miranda or traditional loving Charlotte, there was something for every woman watching this hugely popular show.

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3.    Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is a massively popular fantasy drama HBO series based on the first novel in the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series of fantasy novels written by George R.R. Martin. This show has combined engaging characters with engrossing plotlines set in a mythical yet believable world of dragons, frozen walls and iron thrones.

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4.    Breaking Bad

When an ageing high school chemistry teacher discovers he is terminally ill, he begins to cook and distribute methamphetamine to raise money for his family while dealing with some life-changing events along the way. It is an outlandish premise but one that has worked, with Breaking Bad garnering massive viewer ratings and receiving several industry awards for both the acting talents on the show as well as the writers behind the scenes.

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5.    Lost

Lost is an adventure thriller about a group of plane crash survivors who are stranded on an apparently deserted island. With jump-back scenes and flash forwards, this show constantly keeps you on your toes but it also left millions of people scratching their heads, well after the show had ended.

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6.    The US Office

Adapted from its British counterpart, this hugely popular comedy series originally aired on NBC from March 2005 to May 2013. Starring Steve Carrell and John Krasinski, the show is filmed and shown as a sort of mockumentary which focuses on a group of typical office workers from the egotistical boss to the office geek and the interactions between each other.

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7.    Modern Family

Modern Family is one of the funniest sitcoms to grace our screens in recent years. The series follows the stories of the members of the Pritchett- Dunphy-Tucker family, a crazy collection of characters who give a hilarious look into the life of the modern family. It has won many industry accolades and continues to attract huge viewing numbers.

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8.    Downton Abbey

Set in the early twentieth century, Downton Abbey has transfixed millions of viewers around the world. The characters, who are based in an English mansion and are struggling with the class issues of early 19th century British society, play out emotion-grabbing storylines which can be easily identified despite the historical setting and elaborate costumes.

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9.    Grey’s Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama which premiered on ABC in March 2005 and revolves around the lives of a group of young surgeons at the Seattle Grace Hospital in the US. The series has gained a cult following over the years with its offering of highly dramatic moments coupled with lighter moments such as the ‘will  they, won’t they’ relationship between Meredith and Derek.

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10. The Big Bang Theory

CBS’s The Big Bang Theory has gained a massive following to become one of the most popular television shows today. Featuring four nerdy scientists and the three women who put up with them, The Big Bang Theory (or TBBT as it’s affectionately referred to!) has produced many episodes of pure comedy gold.

While all these television shows differ in content, what they do have in common is that they have the most creative writers, the most talented actors and actresses and viewing ratings which have sky-rocketed as a result! Without doubt, it is this unbeatable combination which has cemented the popularity of these television shows.